Camp Stove

[RogerWYO]

Getting ready to build a small camp stove only because some places don't allow ground fires. Looking for some pics and ideas. What you folks like or don't like about your stoves might be a big help as well.

 

[Karl Helweg]

I am not sure what sort of stove you mean. Cooking or heating? What era?

I have one of these inexpensive grills: http://www.crazycrow.com/mm5/merch...arch_Begin_Only=&sort=&range_low=&range_high= They are fairly accurate for 18th cent. and work well with regular charcoal. My only complaint is that the "ears" on top are soft and bend easily. Nonetheless it will hold common skillets or Dutch ovens.

JAS Townsend recently had a collection of 18th cent. stove pictures on their FaceBook page and they sell an upscale brazier: http://jas-townsend.com/double-brazier-p-1383.html

If you are looking for something more modern I have heard good things about these but the shipping to Alaska is roughly twice what the stove costs.

If you need a REALLY serious tent stove look for a surplus Yukon stove. Wood or multi-fuel and will chase you out of a tent in the arctic. They are basically ram jet engines.

I met a fellow here who found a tiny cast iron stove to heat his sail boat. It would just hold one of those fake fire place logs at a time then, once it was going, he could add one split log at a time. He claimed that he had to keep the vents almost closed or it would turn his sail boat into an oven. I cannot figure out where he found the little thing but I know that such a thing exists and could be packed in a ways.

 

[RogerWYO]

I keep forgetting to mention a time period. This will be a cook stove pre 1840. I'm thinking I would use copper rivets to put the main sheet metal box together and hand forge all the accessories. I have some nice 1/2"sq bar stock for the uprights and cross bar. I'll be sure to harden anything that might have a bending problem. Thank you for the info Karl.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I've always wondered how one would construct Brazier stove without a welder.....I hope you post a picture of the finished product...

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Well...in Japan they are made of cast iron, and are called "hibachi". :grin:

Here are some other ideas other than a brazier...

There are these Roman Stoves called a craticula that have moveable grills, and two round spots for round bottom kettles.

There is also the original, earth/stone Yukon Stove (scroll down to illustration 6.3.1). I've used one of these BUT when we made it we made a half-dozen small holes around the top about 2" from the bottom to allow smoke to escape. We were able to whip one of these up about a week before an event where the local fire marshal said "no open flames"...so a bit heavy made of concrete (and we used some terra cotta colored dye), but if you make it right, and the rules say "no open fires" and THEN an official says when you get there "that means no wood fires of any sort"...you can put a single burner propane burner inside, which we did, and it didn't mess with the event as it was a dog-n-pony for the tourists. :wink:

Luckily the top fire marshal later clarified and we could use wood in a "contained" manner....the blacksmiths were happy about that too....

LD

 

[Karl Helweg]

There are some early 19th century "Shaker stoves" here: http://stovehistory.blogspot.com/2013/10/shaker-or-shaker-stoves-upd-29-march.html

These look suspiciously like the Yukon stoves that we used. I wonder if "shaker" in this case referred to the ram jet roar that this shape of stove produces?

http://www.stringbeansblacksmithshop.com/gallery.php
This one appears to be separate easily transported sheets connected by steel stakes that double as holders. I would think that regular large hinges could be steel riveted to the sheets then a pin/stake run through them.

I would recommend steel rivets rather than copper. A good charcoal fire could get hot enough to melt the copper and make a mess. Steel rivets are easy to find at farm and tractor stores. https://www.allpartsstore.com/Item...achn=COMBINE&SelcModel=&SelcSectn=&SelcSubsc=
You can also use cut down nails in a pinch. They are a little hard but nothing that a balpeen and anvil cannot handle cold.

Did you see this earlier thread? http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/235115/tp/0/all/1/

 

[Karl Helweg]

These are the Army Yukon stoves that I so fondly remember. They do bear a certain resemblance to the Shaker stoves.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Thanks for posting Karl....I forgot about steel farm rivets...a friend just gave me a couple thousand they are in the back of my truck..
FYI ...I'm making my own lump charcoal as I write this.... :grin:

Now if I only had some dimensions for a small brazier....

 

[coloradoclyde]

well...I can tell you that making lump charcoal is not quite as easy as making char cloth.... :shocked2:

 

[MC One Shot]

well...I can tell you that making lump charcoal is not quite as easy as making char cloth.... :shocked2:

You are right, but if he was to really misbehave all year he will get some for Christmas..... :haha:

 

[Harold1950]

Here is a brazier I made a couple of years ago. Actually forgot I had it. I dug it out and took a couple of pictures of it. Need to clean it up and paint it. It is made of steal plate, I think about 3/16" and some 1" angle iron. It is held together with bolts that I meant to/need to use a hammer on to round off the bolt heads to make them look like rivets. The top of the stove pulls up so you can put more wood/charcoal in it as needed and the brazier itself comes off the base with small legs to allow for better cleaning. I just hope I can remember how to use photobucket. Hope this helps you. Now welding was used to make this stove.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Thanks....that got my wheels turning...

 

[RogerWYO]

Tanks for the heads-up on using steel rivets instead of copper. What do you guys think about an end wood loading door vs lift the grate to load? I can reinforce the door and the opening to minimize warp. Am I over complicating things?

 

[Black Hand]

Am I over complicating things?

If you have to ask..... :wink:

 

[coloradoclyde]

Tanks for the heads-up on using steel rivets instead of copper. What do you guys think about an end wood loading door vs lift the grate to load? I can reinforce the door and the opening to minimize warp. Am I over complicating things?

I think loading wood from the top would be easier....BUT!!! a side door at one end would be an easy way to rake out the ashes or rake coals around....
I always build something in my head before I get my hands dirty...

 

[Black Hand]

I think loading wood from the top would be easier....BUT!!! a side door at one end would be an easy way to rake out the ashes or rake coals around....

Top-load doesn't really allow for the use of the stove-top for coffee/cooking...and you could get a face-full of smoke/heat when loading.

 

[coloradoclyde]

True.... And a side door would be mighty convienent. But. Is it a brazier he's making or a rocket stove?

 

[Black Hand]

If it's a brazier, then there is no need to reinvent the "wheel". There are enough images available to get someone in plenty of trouble...

 

[Rifleman1776]

Almost identical to a commercial version that is very popular. I had one and liked it. Taking the top off to add wood was not an issue. I had a bunch of dry hickory at home and would cut into small pieces and carry those to ronny in a burlap sack. Cooked lots of stuff just fine. Had to get it when a couple ronnies prohibited open fires. It is now with my son who is into Rennisance reenactment.

 

[R.C.BINGAMAN]

Built one about a year ago all hand done with rivets-nail heads cut to length and peened-single size will fit a medium skillet or medium Dutch oven. the grate was all hand made no welds turned out very nice.